Washington, DC – This week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast named East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim (CA-40) to a new task force that aims to ensure the foreign arms sales process meets the demands of the future.
In the 117th Congress, Rep. Kim led the Arms Exports Delivery Act (H.R. 8259), which became law through the FY23 NDAA, to track transfers and ensure efficient and timely delivery of U.S. defense equipment already sold to Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies.
She also led a letter last year to the Biden-Harris administration demanding answers on damaged defense arms being sent to Taiwan.
“Promises made by the United States to our partners must be promises kept so that we strengthen our national security, promote U.S. interests, and deter aggression that could put freedom at risk,” said Rep. Young Kim. “I look forward to working on the Foreign Arms Sales Task Force to deliver on our word to our allies and partners and make our arms sales process more efficient and effective. I thank Chairman Mast for naming me to this important task force.”
“This task force will examine the process, make it more transparent, and ensure we’re getting instruments of war – which are also instruments of peace – into the hands of the right partners at the pace that war, deterrence and preparation require,” Chairman Mast said. “This is a no-fail mission for our committee, and I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to ensure the arms sales process places American interests and those of our closest allies front and center.”
The task force will propose overdue reforms aimed at eliminating bureaucratic hurdles that encumber the current foreign arms sales process. These efforts will result in more efficient partnerships between the government and private sector stakeholders, a stronger defense industrial base, and foreign partners being better armed more quickly with American systems and hardware.
Other members serving on the task force include:
Republican Members:
Rep. Ryan Zinke, (MT-01), Task Force Chairman
Rep. Michael Lawler, (NY-17)
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, (PA-07)
Rep. Maria Salazar, (FL-27)
Rep. Scott Perry, (PA-10)
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, (WA-05)
Democrat Members:
Rep. Brad Sherman, (CA-32)
Rep. William Keating, (MA-09)
Rep. Joaquin Castro, (TX-20)
Rep. Sara Jacobs, (CA-51)
Rep. Madeleine Dean, (PA-04)
